Bodhicitta (GB) © Benoit Photo
Calvin Nguyen’s Bodhicitta, a filly on the rise, came running late to get up by a whisker and take honors in the Grade II Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar Saturday afternoon.
The British-bred daughter of Showcasing packed 120 pounds and got a picture-perfect ride from Flavien Prat and caught DRJ Racing, Kenney or Strauss’ Tonahutu just in the shadow of the wire. Finishing third was Agave Racing Stable’s Harmless.
Race favorite Beau Recall put in only a mild late bid and finished fifth beaten just under two lengths in the seven-horse lineup.
The tally was the eighth stakes score in just 12 racing days for rider Prat, who now has 21 firsts at the session, second best among all riders to Umberto Rispoli, who won four races on the afternoon to forge to the top with 22 scores.
The 4-year-old Bodhicitta paid $11.20, $5.40 and $4.00 across the board and earned a winner’s share of $90,000 from the Yellow Ribbon purse of $151,000. She now has amassed $265,808 in winnings with her fourth stateside score and initial stakes victory.
This was the 68th edition of the Yellow Ribbon for fillies and mares, aged 3 and up, and the winner covered the mile and one-sixteenth distance on the Del Mar turf course in 1:42.83.
Racing resumes at Del Mar tomorrow with an 11-race card starting at 2 p.m.
FLAVIEN PRAT (Bodhicitta, winner) – “It’s been going well (this was his eighth stakes win in 12 days of racing). I’m sitting (on) good horses. I had a good post (#2) today, so I was able to get right on the fence and save ground. I knew they were going slow, but my filly has a good turn of foot and we got it done.”
RICHARD BALTAS (Bodhicitta, winner) – “The race went about like I thought it would, I didn’t see much speed in the race. She has more tactical speed than some of the horses, like Beau Recall and others who come from the back. He (Flavien Prat) saved a lot of ground and we needed all of it. When he won with her awhile back, he said ‘This is my next (multiple-stakes winner) Vasilika’. It means a lot because he’s ridden a lot of good horses. We may go here in the Mabee ($150,000, Grade II John C. Mabee Stakes, September 5).”
FRACTIONS: :24.52 :49.97 1:14.58 1:37.37 1:42.83
The stakes win was the eighth of the meet for rider Prat, but his first in the Yellow Ribbon. He now has 52 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the third of the meet for trainer Baltas, but his first in the Yellow Ribbon. He now has 17 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The owner is Calvin Nguyen from City of Industry, CA.